Teasing Jonathan (2 page)

Sin nodded. “You can’t tell by looking at someone that they need a hand once in a while. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Patrick and I have both had problems from time to time. Arthur still has nightmares about his partner. It’s natural. If you were completely unaffected, then you should be worried.”

“I appreciate that.” The relief of sharing his problems helped a great deal. Since he’d left the military, he’d gone from being in a group of people experiencing the same things to being a loner. He hadn’t realised how much talking to his friends had helped. Most of them were dead now, but looking at Callum and Sin, he knew he’d discounted people right in front of him who cared.

Sinclair’s phone rang. After a short conversation he hung up and turned his attention back to Jonathan.

“Unless you want to talk more, I need you to run back to the office. Patrick has a new client and he wants you to sit in on the interview.”

“No, I’m good. Thanks. Is that what you wanted to talk to me about?” He cringed after he’d said the words.

Sin frowned. “Yes. We’re worried about you. I want you to know any of us are always here if you need us. Even Callum. Just don’t distract him when he’s pulling sugar.”

“Hey,” Callum protested. “I only yelled at you that once.”

“Once was enough. I learn quickly.” Sin smiled fondly at his husband.

Jonathan laughed at the image in his head of the smaller Callum taking on his large husband. The fact that he’d seen it more than once only added to his amusement.

“Head on over to the office. Patrick wants you there as soon as possible. The client will arrive in an hour and he needs to brief you first.”

Relief rushed through Jonathan. Although he enjoyed eating Callum’s food, he knew coming to their condo interrupted Callum and Sin’s morning private time. The two men had established a routine where Callum didn’t leave until lunch prep and Sin worked at the condo until noon. To be asked to come by during that special time had shaken Jonathan to where he’d had to retie his necktie three times before he’d considered himself presentable. Luckily, it only sounded as if Sin called him over to check on him, not because he found him lacking.

“I can wrap that to go if you’d like,” Callum offered, pointing to his omelette.

“No, I got it.” Never willing to let good food go to waste, Jonathan tucked the rest of his omelette between the confines of a big fluffy biscuit.

“Here.” Callum handed him a paper towel to wrap his food in.

“Thanks.” Jonathan tucked the towel around his omelette sandwich then slid off the bar stool he’d been sitting on. He waved at the men as he headed out, more than eager to leave their place of domestic bliss. Petty jealousy didn’t look good on anyone.

As he stepped off the elevator, Jonathan realised he’d forgotten his coffee.

“Damn,” he muttered. He couldn’t go back up. The look in Sin’s eyes when he’d dismissed Jonathan didn’t bode well for Callum keeping his clothes on for more than the next few minutes.

Glancing through the glass lobby doors, he spotted a small espresso shop across the street. He’d passed it a few times and hadn’t bothered going in because nothing could be as good as Callum’s coffee with his fancy machine and imported beans. However, Jonathan had more basic needs right now, the primary one being to stay awake. He’d drink swill as long as the brew came out dark and strong. He’d never tell Callum, but sometimes he even drank instant coffee.

With his makeshift breakfast sandwich in one hand, Jonathan left the building and headed for the crosswalk. His head hurt as the bright sun assaulted his eyes. Still walking, he slipped his sunglasses out of his pocket and slid them on.

He sighed at the instant relief. If only all of life’s problems were so easily fixed.

A small crowd of people had already gathered on the corner to wait for the light. Rush hour always had the sidewalks packed with people in suits rushing to their offices. The idea of spending all day confined in one space made Jonathan shudder. He did, however, like a man in a suit. Something about an elegant man all dressed up made Jonathan want to muss him.

Engrossed in his own thoughts, it took Jonathan a minute to notice the guy standing beside him. Once he spotted him, Jonathan couldn’t look away.

Beautiful.

The tall, slim man had dark hair, professionally styled in layers, and wore a brown suit tailored to fit a well-proportioned body. Bright green eyes scanned Jonathan up and down as if he were one of Callum’s featured dishes and he couldn’t wait to dig in. Jonathan appreciated that the man stood only a few inches shorter than his own six-foot-four frame. He wasn’t one of those guys who wanted a smaller lover to cuddle. He preferred a strong man who could hold his own.

“Good morning, handsome,” the stranger said. His rich baritone voice rolled through Jonathan like a physical touch.

“Good morning.” Jonathan didn’t consider himself ugly, but the man beside him hit an eleven on a scale of one to five. Handsome without being too pretty.

Jonathan took a bite of his omelette sandwich so he wouldn’t drool.

The light changed and they both stepped off the curve. Jonathan’s eyes strayed back to the dark-haired man beside him instead of paying attention to the crowd. People tended to move out of his way by instinct, not wanting to be trampled by Jonathan’s big feet. Sometimes he felt like the monster in one of those old time horror movies where the people fled in terror from the large creature stomping through the city.

Only because his eyes were already trained on the stranger did he see the car barrelling towards them.

Moving on instinct, Jonathan dropped his breakfast and grabbed the guy’s arm. With a strong grip, he yanked them both to safety. The SUV’s tyres squealed as the driver bulldozed through the pack of pedestrians. Unfortunately the vehicle’s angle didn’t allow Jonathan to get a licence plate number before it raced away.

With an experienced eye, Jonathan evaluated the damage. He and the man he’d grabbed had escaped harm. However, not all the pedestrians were so lucky. No one appeared seriously injured, but a big guy in a business suit and shiny shoes had been clipped and lay on the street. His briefcase had slid across the asphalt, popped open, and the wind blowing his papers across the universe. Jonathan hoped he had extra copies.

A few women were crying from shock and several others stood on the sidewalk looking around as if waiting for the vehicle to return.

With his nerves surprisingly steady, Jonathan reached into his pocket to call the police. Once he reached an operator, he reported the incident in cool, even tones while he checked on the injured. Only one person’s wounds looked serious enough to probably require stitches, though several others had scrapes from falling on the rough road or sidewalk. Jonathan hung up after he’d given his location. They didn’t need him to stay on the phone tying up the line. Surveying the damage, Jonathan knew it could’ve been much worse. He hoped this day didn’t end with another string of nightmares.

“You saved my life,” a now-familiar, deep voice said.

Distracted by the wounded, Jonathan hadn’t seen anyone walk up behind him. He turned. The beautiful man he’d noticed before was standing on the sidewalk regarding him with an awed expression. Jonathan’s heart raced, no doubt still on edge from the jolt of adrenaline he’d received while escaping the path of the SUV.

Although he knew he’d pulled the man to safety, an odd compulsion gripped Jonathan to verify that the stranger had completely escaped injury. Stepping closer, he carefully examined the man from head to toe.

A wide smile crossed the stranger’s face. “I’m unhurt, thanks to you.”

“I’m glad I was there.” Jonathan didn’t want to even imagine the amount of damage the SUV would’ve caused if it had hit the other man going at full speed.

“You saved my life,” he repeated.

Jonathan clenched his fists to hide the trembling in his hands. To imagine this beautiful man’s life snuffed out made him queasy. He took a slow breath to balance out his churning stomach.

“It was probably a drunk driver,” Jonathan said dismissively. He didn’t know that for sure, but he didn’t want to cause panic among people already stressed from the incident. He didn’t know if anyone else was listening to their conversation and hearing that a psycho in a SUV had tried to end their lives probably wouldn’t go over very well.

The vehicle had appeared to be aiming at the man beside him, but barring a confession from the driver, Jonathan couldn’t prove anything. So far this hadn’t turned out to be a very good day.

“I’m Kai Stromwell.” The gorgeous guy held out his hand to Jonathan.

Well, there was one good part of his morning—the man standing in front of him. If Jonathan had ever collected any good karma in his life, he considered it completely paid back at that very moment.

“Jonathan Stevens, nice to meet you.” He shook hands with Kai and bit his lip to hold back a gasp as a jolt of sizzling attraction surged through him. The burst of electricity danced through his body and settled down below. Hell, he’d had full orgasms with less satisfaction than that one gentle touch.

“You feel it too, don’t you?” Kai asked, his eyes lit with excitement. Kai stepped closer and Jonathan barely resisted the urge to rub his body all over a guy he’d just met.

Jonathan nodded. He’d be an idiot if he didn’t admit it and at least pursue a date. That much attraction deserved exploration. They didn’t have to commit to a lifelong relationship. Right now Jonathan would settle for getting laid. Kai’s expression indicated that he might be open to that sort of proposition.

Before he could make any sort of arrangement, they were interrupted.

“Excuse me, but did either of you witness the hit and run?” a uniformed cop asked.

They both nodded.

The cops separated Jonathan and Kai to get their statements. Afterwards, Jonathan lost track of his new friend. Disappointment hit him as he realised he’d probably lost his one chance to get Kai’s phone number. Usually he’d think a man like that was out of his league, but the sexual magnetism zipping between them had told a different story.

With his current run of bad luck, Jonathan should’ve known better than to hope he’d found an interesting new guy to date. He could barely remember the last time he’d liked someone enough to take him on a date. His latest encounters had been rushed events in dark back rooms where both parties had got off then walked away. The handshake he’d exchanged with Kai contained more sexual punch then his last two jerk-off sessions.

Biting back a curse, Jonathan continued his walk to the coffee shop. He hadn’t got to finish his breakfast, so maybe he could at least get that cup of coffee he’d been wanting. He’d better call Patrick soon before his boss decided Jonathan preferred being unemployed.

“Hello again, handsome,” Kai’s voice reached him as he stepped into the café. After a brief search, he spotted Kai by the window with his suit jacket unbuttoned and looking better than anyone who just escaped death had a right to.

“Hello.” Jonathan changed directions to head towards Kai. “Are you going to be here a while?”

“A few more minutes.” Kai waved towards the counter. “Why don’t you grab your coffee and join me for a bit?”

Thoughts of his employer vanished beneath Kai’s warm gaze. Jonathan nodded and rushed off before he said something completely idiotic. Kai’s green eyes made him want foolish things and to whisper promises he’d never given anyone else.

Shaking his head at his thoughts, Jonathan put in his coffee order and waited impatiently for his drink. How long did it take to pour a damn cup of coffee anyway? He hadn’t asked for the skinny latte with syrup deal he’d heard a lot of people order—he’d only asked for a straight drip to go.

The barista returned to the counter. She gave him a polished smile that made him dread her next words. “Sorry, we just ran out. I’ve got to brew some more. If you want to just take a seat for a minute, I can let you know when it’s done.”

Oh, hell yeah, he wanted to take a seat. “Sure, just call me when it’s ready.”

She nodded. “Will do.”

The relief on her face told him she’d expected a more negative reaction. After all, what kind of idiot forgot to brew coffee at a coffee shop? He resisted the urge to tell her to take her fucking time as he’d be more than happy to wait with Kai.

Spotting Kai still sitting in the same chair and drinking his coffee sent a rush of relief through Jonathan so strong that he had to take a deep breath to regain his equilibrium. He quickly walked over and sat in the chair Kai waved an elegant hand towards. Jonathan resisted the urge to hide his own scarred and scraped hands, damaged from years of combat. Everything about Kai had a touch of elegance, as if the guy had been dipped in an ocean of class. Jonathan would’ve been intimidated if he didn’t know they were mutually attracted.

“No drink?”

Jonathan shrugged. “They have to brew more.”

“Figures. It’s always when you desperately need a cup.” Kai’s open, friendly smile soothed Jonathan’s frayed nerves. He hadn’t realised how shaken he was until he’d sat down.

“That seems to be true,” Jonathan agreed.

“I guess you’ll just have to stay and keep me company for a while.” Kai’s easy tone indicated he wouldn’t mind.

Jonathan soaked up the attention like a flower to sunshine as he leant back in his chair. His gaze swept Kai’s well-tailored suit, which had probably cost more than Jonathan’s monthly rent and car payment together. Kai definitely wasn’t hurting for cash.

“What do you do for a living, Kai?” Jonathan asked. He truly wanted to know what Kai did all day in his fancy suit. He should at least learn a little bit about the man he planned to strip naked and lick all over.

Kai’s gaze heated as if he could read Jonathan’s intentions. He cleared his throat before he answered. “I run a company that handles angel investments. Providing funds for people who need an infusion of cash for their businesses, pretty boring stuff to talk about. What do you do?”

“I’m a bodyguard for a security company.” Jonathan almost held his breath while he waited for Kai’s response.